Seasonality of death

Deaths are predictable to some extent, in that they occur more often for particular causes such as cardiovascular disease or cancers, or at older ages, or within vulnerable population groups. Deaths also tend to occur more often at certain times of the year. In Australia, as in other developed countries, most deaths occur in colder months. Deaths attributable to a number of specific causes follow a yearly cycle, peaking in winter and occurring less frequently in summer. Deaths for some causes are also more frequent on certain days of the week, or even at certain times of the day.This bulletin will examine these patterns of death to see how deaths vary by day, by month and by season, and whether these patterns have changed over time.